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HCL enters the world of phablets

Jan 15, 2013 (Khaleej Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
HCL Infosystems on Monday entered the world of phablets by launching a new range of ME tablets in the Middle East and Africa to boost its market share in the region.

The U2 tab offers a fast processor and Google Play and the V1 tab has a facility for 2G calling. The Y3 tab introduces a dual sim card for the first time and has 3G calling facility.

The price ranges between Dh399 and Dh749 for the three products and these will be available at all major retail outlets across the Middle East and Africa.

"We are confident of achieving 15 per cent share of the Middle East's tablet market this year with the launch of these latest products," Srinath Nagarajan, business head-MEA, mobility business unit, HCL Infosystems MEA, told at the launch event in Dubai on Monday. The Indian firm with $1.9 billion annual revenues expects new innovative tablets at affordable costs will help the company make deeper inroads into the region's competitive market.

"We will strengthen our position in the UAE's tablet market with the launch of new series of products. We already have 16 per cent tablet market share in the emirate and hope to hit the 20 per cent mark this year," Nagarajan said. He said HCL has also tied up with Axiom Telecom, the leading telecom solutions provider in the region, as its service partner for the region.

To a question, he said the new ME tablets will be available at all leading stores like Sharaf DG, Lulu, Emax, Plug-ins, Ecity, Jacky's and Abu Dhabi Cooperative this week.

"Dubai remains a business hub and we have chosen the emirate for this global launch of HCL's innovative products to extend our reach to other markets like Russia, Africa and CIS states," he said.

Some of the exclusive distributors for ME tablets in the region include CGC (Consolidated Gulf Corporation) in Qatar; BDL Gulf and BDL Saudi in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. About other markets in the region, Nagarajan said the new devices will be available later this week at all leading retail stores in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.

However, the new range of ME tablets will be available in Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda by the beginning of February.

"This region has a highly competitive tablet market with the demand for innovative technologies growing at a rapid pace. We have made huge investments in research to develop innovations that would enable us to deliver devices to a larger customer base, making technology more accessible," he said.

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